And the adventure begins. again.

OK, it is a start. Just a start.

Over the years I have migrated from working with Dad in the refrigeration business, to rebuilding my hot 56 Chevy, to an 85MPH jet boat, to… Ok, who cares where I have been? Though building guitars was very rewarding http://billsguitars.blogspot.com/. And, the precursor blog to where you are reading today http://serialhobbyconfessions.blogspot.com/ was a fun romp through my history of hobby after hobby. Which leads us to Wailer Works, the zenith, the apex, the pinnacle of one man’s glorious triumph over boredom. One hobby at a time.

Today, we will all move from http://willywailerproductions.blogspot.com/ and that drone thing into 3D Printing. That’s right Grasshopper, we are going to make things that can be found at the Dollar Store in bags. Naw, just kidding. We are going to make awesome stuff.

UHM? What should we start with? Something significant. Beyond a dinosaur or a coffee cup cover. How about a Mars Rover? We will go for the First Annual ‘Neil deGrasse Tysone That’s Frigging Cool Award.’

How to begin? Well, we can begin with buying a 3d printer. Nailed it! Already bought a Lulzbot Mini https://www.lulzbot.com/ (Ok, I’ll stop the constant posts of URLs in a bit.)

Now that we have a printer, we need a design software package and there are many to choose from. We will go with Autodesk 123D (Brace yourself here comes another URL https://www.lulzbot.com/ BAMM!)

To recap. We have a printer and a design software package. Only one more critical production module. We need some software to take our incredible 123d designed dinosaur into a language that the printer will understand. We need ‘a software program that both prepares your files for printing (by converting your model into GCODE), and also allows you to control the operation of your LulzBot 3D printer.’ https://ultimaker.com/en/products/cura-software. (Couldn't have said it better myself.)

 

Finally, we have a complete system from that vague concept in your little brain to a real life finished model. It is the same process your mother went through to conceive you. Twinkle in the eye to ‘really? That’s it? Looks kinda like a frog, don’t you think?’

To recap the recap. 1) Idea, 2) design software, 3) slicing production software and 4) print that mother and let’s see what comes out. One tenth of a millimeter per head pass. (We’ll get to all that later.)

But for right now, we are going to make a replica of a Mars Rover. There have been a few different NASA rovers and we will combine a couple of designs into the Willy’s Rover ver 1.0.

Remember the WWII Willys Jeep? Well, we are not making one of those. Too Old School,